Wall paneling



G. H. LENKE Jan. 6, 1942.

WALL PANELING Filed Aug. 16, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet l FIB.J

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G. H." LENKE WALL PANELING 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 16, 1939 G. H. LENKE WALL PANELING' Jan. 6, 1942.

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G. H. LENKE WALL PANELING Jan. 6, 1942.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Aug. 16, 1939 Patented Jan. 6, 1942 WALL PANELING George H. Lenke, Elmhurst, Ill., assignor of onehalf to Julius J. Ohlis, Oak Park, 111.

Application August 16, 1939, Serial No. 290,506

11 Claims. (Cl. 72-42) This invention relates to paneling and has for its object to provide a construction which is simple in parts, easy to assemble and less costly to manufacture than those heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in view the invention resides in the novel details of construction and combinations of parts as will be disclosed more fully hereinafter and particularly pointed out in the claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification and in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views- Fig. 1 is an elevational view, somewhat diagrammatic, illustrating one of the panels made in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional View, taken as on the line 2-2 of Fig. 4 and looking in the direc tion of the arrows, of a panel erected in place;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one of the cells of a panel clearly illustrating the means for positioning and holding a glass block withinthe cell;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal sectional view, taken as on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows, of a panel erection and illustrating a plurality of panels joined together;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view similar to Fig. 3 but illustrating a cell having a modified construction;

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional View similar to Fig. 4 but wherein the construction of Fig. 5 is utilized;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view similar to Figs. 3 and 5 but illustrating a further modification of cell structure;- and Fig. 8 is a horizontal sectional View in which is incorporated the structure of Fig. 7.

This invention relates generally to paneling and therefore it is peculiarly adapted to the construction of walls wherein there is employed a plurality of building blocks (preferably glass blocks through which light may pass) and hence such paneling may be in the form of partitions within a building, or it may be of the nature of a window in the outside wall of a building, and in fact there may be other specific instances where this construction may be found useful, particularly in connection with the transmission of light.

In such paneling there is contemplated a frame provided with intermediate separators in the form of a grillwork to provide a plurality of cells, and in each cell a glass block of any suitable type is positioned and secured with appropriate cement, plastic material, caulking compound, or the like to seal the glass blocks against passage of heat, cold, sound or weather. If the erection is of appreciable size, a plurality of panels may be joined together, and the panels may be of the same or difierent sizes and/or shapes to meet, the

V requisite needs.

Referring to the drawings for a clearer understanding of the invention, there is illustrated in Fig. 1 a panel comprising a frame consisting of a top piece 2, a bottom piece 3 and two opposite side pieces 4 and 5 joined rectangularly, the

frame illustrated being of such dimensions as to provide twelve cells, with a glass block indicated by the numeral 6 in each cell. Suitable anchoring means such as a rib I may be secured to the bottom piece 3 to assist in holding the panel against transverse movement in the opening to which the panel is applied, but obviously other forms of anchoring may be employed.

In Fig. 3 is illustrated in detail the lower left I to the frame members as at H and may be provided with a tenon passing through a corresponding mortise in the frame member as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3, and each strip is of a width less than the width of the frame members (in practice from one-half to onethird).

Within the cell and on the horizontal frame member such as 3 there are welded holding bars such as 15 and I6 spaced from each other in accordance with the thickness of that part of the glass block that is to be fitted in the space between such bars (see Fig. 2), and said bars may be of an appreciable length. or, as specifically illustrated in Fig. 3, they can be relatively short in which latter casethey will be placed to one side of the center of the cell with a duplicate pair of bars l5 and I6 disposed to the other side of the center of the cell, it being understood that the bars I5 and I5 will be in alignment with each other and that the bars l6 and IE will likewise be in alignment with each other. On the inner face of the vertical frame member such as 4 there is welded a single bar such as l! which may be of suitable length but preferably spaced centrally of the cell and in the same plane with the bars l6 and Hi, there being no similar bar in the plane of the bars l5 and I5 to interfere with the insertion of a glass block in the cell.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4, the width of the separator strips 8 and 9 is made equal to the space between the bars l5 and [6, which space as above stated is substantially equal to the dimension of the thickness of the shouldered portion of the glass block to be inserted in the cell, and the strips are so positioned by welding within the frame that the edge [8 of strip 8 and the edge l9 of the strip 9 will be in the same plane with the holding bars IE, IS and I1; and

likewise the opposite edge of strip 8 and the edge 2| of strip 9 will be in the plane with the other holding bars I5 and I5.

Centrally of the cell there is rigidly secured (preferably by welding) to the edge l8 of strip 8 a holding plate 22 of suitable length and of such width as to extend laterally on both sides of the said strip a distance sufficient to firmly engage the shoulder such as 23 of the glass blocks disposed on each side of said strip; and in like manner there is rigidly secured a similar holding plate 24 to the edge [9 of the separator strip 9. From what has been said hereinbefore it will therefore be understood that the fixed plates 22 and 24 are also in the same plane with the bars I], I5 and 16 as a result of which they will all engage the'continuous or perimetric shoulder such as 23 provided on the glass block.

On the opposite edge 20 of strip 8 as well as on the opposite edge 2| of strip 9, and centrally of'the cell, there is provided a removable holding plate such as 25 which is not secured in position until after a glass block 9 has been inserted into its cell, or in other words the plate 25 is made separable or detachable so that the block 6 may be inserted in its cell. To this end the edge 2| of strip 9 is shown provided with a dovetail shaped slot 26 to receive and hold the correspondingly shaped head of a bolt 21 whose threaded stem passes through the opening 28 therefor in the plate 25 and receives the holding nut 29 (see Fig. 3), and the strip 8 has a correspondingly positioned and constructed detachable plate 39. Obviously the bolt '21 need not have the dovetail connection with its separator strip since other shaped socket connections would be practical and in fact no slip connection is necessary since the bolt could as well be welded to its strip, but the slip socket connection is preferred because it permits the separator strips to be packed neatly for shipping. Thus it will be understood that in assembling the panel, the glass block will be slightly tipped and its advancing shouldered portion directed into the cell to a position to occupy the space between the blocks I5 and I6, and then the block will be straightened into the plane of the panel with the perimetric shoulder 23 in abutting relation against the bar [1, and the fixed plates 22 and 24. The bolts such as 21 having been previously engaged in their slots 26, the detachable plates 25 and 3|] may then be positioned on the bolts and secured'by the nuts such as 29, thereby securing the glass block within its cell.

The foregoing description has been specific to the lower left cell of the panel as seen in Fig. 1, but it is to be understood that the bars l5 and I6 are duplicated in .the other lower cells 36 and 31 as well as in all of the upper cells such as 38, 39 and 40 of the panel; in other words the spaced bars such as l5 and t6 are provided on the inner surface of each horizontal frame memher, in each cell. In similar manner it is to be understood that the single bar such as I! is provided on the inner surface of each vertical frame member in each cell, i. e. in-the cells 4|, 42, 43,

44, 45, 46, 41 and 48. It is also to be understood that the separator strips such as 8 and 9 will be duplicated in a panel construction to provide as many cells as desired, and that the fixed holding plates such as 22 are to be provided on each horizontal separator strip substantially centrally of each cell, and that the fixed holding plates such as 24 are to be provided on each vertical separator strip substantially centrally of each cell, all of the fixed plates being on the same side of the panel Lastly it is to be understood that the detachable holding plates such as 25 and 30 are tobe similarly provided on the other side of the panel on each of the vertical and horizontal separator strips at substantially the mid-point of each cell. As a result of this construction all of the glass blocks can be set in place in their respective cells from the same side of the panel and then secured by fastening the detachable plates.

The sealing of each glass block in its cell may be. accomplished as desired, such as by filling the space around each block with a suitable cement or plastic, and then filling the joints over the holding plates and holding bars with suitable filler, as indicated at 50; the nature of this filler will be in accordance with the location and use of the panel, oakum and/or caulking compound being preferably used in weather-exposed erections.

In Fig. 2 there has been illustrated the erection of one of these panels in an outside wall of a building, the anchoring rib I being shown embedded Within a cement or plastic filled groove in the sill 5|, the upper end of the panel being secured at the head 52 of the wall opening between inner and outer angles such as 53 and 54 attached to the head and spaced slightly from the panel to permit of the application of suitableweather-resisting sealing material indicated at 55, said sealing material being also provided at the sill and around the vertical sides of the panel.

In Fig. 4 there has been illustrated a construction suitable to either an outside or inside wall construction and wherein the vertical side edge of the panel is set in a recess in the wall with suitable plastic filler indicated at 56 and oakum and/orcaulking compound indicated at 51 at the surface area of the wall. Additionally in this figure of drawings there has been indicated the application. of a plurality of panels to make up a partition for'example, each panel similarly constructed, the adjacent panels disposed relatively closely together with the vertical frame member 5 of the one panel and the vertical frame member 4. of the adjacent panel bridged by mullion strips58 and 59 on opposite sides of the partition, said mullion strips being secured together in clamping effect on the panels as by the threaded bolt '60 passed through one mullion strip and through the space between the adjacent panels and engaging a threaded socket 61 carried by the other mullion strip 59, suitable filler material being applied at 62 to fill the space between said panels. From these illustrations of erection it will be observed that the width of the frame members is preferably made substantially equal to the thickness of the glass blocks so that the-panels may be assembledas at a factory and a plurality thereof stacked neatly into a crate for shipment ,to the. place where theyare to be erected. However, this isra shipping expedient, and the frame members may have a width greater or less than the thickness of the blocks.

In Figs. and 6 are illustrated a modification of the invention wherein yieldable means are utilized for holding the glass blocks in their cells, the genera1 construction being somewhatsimilar to that heretofore described in that a panel is fabricated of outside frame members, intersecting separator strips, and holding or spacing bars in the outside cells of the panel.

More specifically, the outside frame members are formed of sheet material with reinforced edges which may be simple flanges or a reverse bend such as indicated at 10 to form in effect a frame member of I-shape cross-section, wherefore these frame members may be made of sheet material thinner than that contemplated for the frame members shown in Fig. 3 and therefore making advisable the provision of securing angles H at the four corners of the panel.

Each separator strip of this modification comprises a corrugated member such as 12, said strips half slotted and interfitted at their intersections such as ID in the same manner as were the separator strips shown in Fig. 3, the ends of each corrugated strip preferably passed through an opening provided therefor in the frame members, said ends being turned down as indicated at 73 and welded to the outer face of the frame members, all strips being of the same width so that their opposite edges will lie in common parallel planes, said width being less than the thickness of the glass blocks. The horizontal members such as 14 of the frame, in each cell, are provided on their inner surface with two or more arched holding plates such as 15 and 76, said plates being aligned with each other and with the separating strips, said plates welded at least along one of their edge portions to the frame members. In like manner each vertical frame member in each cell has secured to its inner surface one or more similar arched holding plates such as T! also aligned with the other holding plates and the separator strips.

Thus it will be understood with particular reference to Fig. 6 that the glass block are inserted in each cell, having close spring-like contact with the holding plates and separator strips, the friction therebetween being sufficient to maintain the parts assembled during at least the application of the suitable and desired filler material 50 applied from one side of the panel between the glass blocks, the framing members, the holding plates and such strips, after which the panel may be reversed for application of such filler material fromthe other side of the panel, the inwardly extending portions of the reinforcement 70 of the frame members additionally serving to maintain such filler material in place adjacent the frame members.

Where a plurality of panels are employed in the partition, they may be joined by the mullion strip construction described hereinabove but, due to the thinner material of the frame members, it is preferable to provide a plurality of spacer blocks such as 18 between the adjacent panels and preferably in line with the separator strips, the space between the adjacent panels being filled with any desired filler material such as 62.

The modification shown in Figs. 7 and 8 comprises the planar or flat separator strips shown in Fig. 3 with rigid holding blocks attached to the inner surfaces of the relatively heavy frame members, and yieldable holding means carried by the separator strips. In other words on the inner surface of each horizontal frame .member in each cell there is provided a pair of rigid blocks and 8| welded to the frame members, and to the inner surface of each vertical frame member in each cell-there is welded one or more rigid holding blocks such as 82, and the planar intersecting separator strips 83 and 84 are of a width equal to the widths of such rigidblocks and aligned therewith.

A generally U-shaped clip such as 85 is provided which is adapted to be slipped over each separator strip, the sides of such clip having .portions bowed outwardly as indicated at 86, the bowed portion being spaced from the closed bend of the clip a distance suflicient to provide a por tion 81 of sufficient dimension to engage rather firmly the opposite surfaces of the separator strip without the necessity of welding or other rigid securement. As shown in Fig. 7 one or more of such clips may be applied to the separator strips at each cell formed thereby, the number of such clips being more or less dependent upon the size of the cell.

With this modified form of construction the clips are slipped or pressed over the separator strips and then the glass blocks are pressed into their cells against the tension of the bowed portions of theclips, the friction being sufficient to maintain the blocks in position in the panel while the filler material is being applied to the spaces around the blocks, in a manner similar to that described above in connection with the construction shown in Fig. 5. Plural panels maybe secured adjacently together by the mullion strips heretofore described, with suitable plastic filler 62 therebetween. If the frame members are of relatively light weight sheet material it may be preferable to apply spacer blocks between the adjacent panels such as those identified by the numeral 18 in Fig. 6.

From the foregoing description it will therefore be seen that by this invention there is provided a wall panel comprising frame members,

Y separator strips extending continuously between opposite frame members and dividing the panel into a plurality of cells, with a building block in each cell, and means for holding a block in its cell. More specifically and as shown in Figs. 3

and '7, the means for holding the block in its cell comprises abutments or bars rigidly fixed on the frame members, as well a other abutments (plates 25 and clips 85) detachably carried by the separator strips, and according to Figs. 5 and 7 the separator strip abutments comprise corrugations shown in Fig. 5 and the arched or bowed clip shown in Fig. 7, for springingly engaging the block. The removable plates or abutments such as 25 have slip socket engagement with the separator strips, and both the fixed plates 24 and the removable plates 25 are attached to and overhang the edges of the separator strips. It is obvious that the various separator strips shown may be utilized with the various block holding or spacing elements l5, I6, I1, 15, l6, 1T, 80, 8| and 82, or in other words the corrugated strips shown in Fig. 5 could replace the planar strips and associated clips shown in Fig. 7, and similarly the spring-like members such as 75 shown in Fig. 5 could replace the plane members such as 80 shown in Fig. 7.

In each instance it is to be observed that the various abutments disclosed engage the unexposed sides of the block in its cell as contradistinguished from the faces of the block which are exposed.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of this invention and therefore it is desired to not be limited to the exact foregoing disclosure except as may be demanded by the'claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A wall panel comprising a frame; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell; and means for positioning a block in its cell in spaced relation to the walls of the cell, said means comprising abutments rigidly fixed on the frame as well as other abutments detachably carried by said strips.

2. A wall panel comprising a frame consisting of a series of side members; separator strips of a width less than the width of the frame members, said strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another and intersecting each other thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell, said block of a thickness substantially equal to the width of the frame members; means for positioning a block in its cell in spaced relation to the Walls of the cell, said means comprising abutments rigidly fixed on the inner surfaces of the frame members and spaced from the edges thereof, as well as other abutments detachably carried by said strips and disposed entirely within the confines of the planes of the edges of the frame members; and sealing material disposed around each block in its cell, said material filling the space between each block and its cell walls and completely embedding said abutments.

3. A wall panel comprising a frame; separator strip extending continuous across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in theipanel, said strips of equal width and interfitted with each other at their intersections and having their edges in common parallel planes, the ends of said strips having mortise engagement with the frame; a building block in each cell; and means for positioning a block in its cell in spaced relation to the walls of the cell, said means comprising abutments rigidly fixed on the frame as well as other abutments detachably carried by and engaging an edge portion of said strips.

4. A wall panel comprising a frame; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another and intersecting each other thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell, said block having exposed faces and unexposed sides; and means for positioning a block in its cell under tension, said means comprising abutments rigidly fixed on the frame as well as yieldable other abutments carried by said strips and springingly engaging unexposed sides of said block.

5. A wall panel comprising a frame consisting of a series of side members; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell, said block having exposed faces and unexposed sides; and means for positioning a block in its cell under tension, said means comprising yieldable abutments carried by said strips and springingly engaging said block, as well as other abutments secured to the inner surfaces of the frame members all of said abutments engaging the unexposed sides of said block.

6. A wall panel comprising a frame consisting of a series of side members; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell, said block having exposed faces and unexposed sides; and means for positioning a block in its cell under tension, said means comprising arched abutments carried by said strips and springingly engaging said block, as well as other abutments secured to the inner surfaces of the frame members all of said abutments engaging the unexposed sides of said block.

7. A wall panel comprising a frame; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell; and means for positioning a block in its cell under tension, said means comprising rigid abutments fixed on said frame, and spring-like abutments detachably carried by said strips.

8. A wall panel comprising a frame; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell; and means for positioning a block in its cell under tension, said means comprising rigid abutments fixed on the frame, and yieldable arched clips slipped over and detachably carried by said strips.

9. A wall panel comprising a frame; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another and intersecting each other thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell; and means for positioning a block in its cell, said means comprising rigid abutments fixed on the frame, and bowed clips frictionally engaging said strips for detachment therefrom.

10. A wall panel comprising a frame; separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel, said strips having arched portions in said cells; a building block in each cell, said block having exposed faces and unexposed sides; and means engaging the unexposed sides of said block for yieldably positioning a block in its cell, said means comprising springlike abutments rigidly fixed on the frame, and the arched portions of said strips.

11. A wall panel comprising a frame; corrugated separator strips extending across said frame from one side thereof to another thereby providing a plurality of cells in the panel; a building block in each cell; and means for yieldably positioning a block in its cell, said means comprising spring-like abutments rigidly fixed on the frame, and the corrugations of said strips.

GEORGE H. LENKE. 

